Au, Revoir...Les Expos!!!

So the Expos are now heading to our nation’s capital.

And in a fitting end to a shameful episode that has basically stabbed the hearts of the Montreal Expos' fans....they get the word just a few hours before their final home game. 

This, sort of, ends an odd chapter in Major League Baseball history. Les Expos. While Montreal baseball wasn’t as rabid as it is in St. Louis, or as legendary as it is in Chicago, or as successful as it is in New York….it did have its niche. It was Canada’s team before the Blue Jays were there. It was French and English. It had the Stade D’Olympique. Those weird looking seats. That weird “retractable” roof. A tough road trip. That unique logo. Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Dennis Martinez, Larry Walker, Vlad Guerrero, Andre Galaragga, Moises Alou, Gary Carter, Tim Raines, Andre Dawson. Heck, Pete Rose and Tony Perez played there. It was a different kind of baseball culture.

However, in today’s marketplace….teams like this don’t fare well. By “like this”….I mean Canadian teams. No one wants to go to Canada to play. The NBA’s Vancouver Grizzlies left for America. Vince Carter may have saved the Toronto Raptors franchise….which is still in some problem areas. Even as successful as the Toronto Blue Jays have been….they still aren’t in the greatest of positions. Canada isn’t “cool”. But, you cannot fully blame that. Even the hockey teams are struggling. Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa are puttering along. The mighty Montreal Canadiens are even going thru some tough times. And all this after Winnipeg and Quebec City went south with their teams. Financially, it is tough for Canadian teams to compete with American ones.

They aren’t really out of the water yet. We all know that DC has had two shots at baseball before. One of those franchises is now the Minnesota Twins…..the other is the Texas Rangers. Also, this will be the first franchise movement in baseball since those Washington Senators moved to Texas 32 years ago. We all know that just because you plop a MLB team somewhere….it may not completely take off. Just look at the Florida teams.

Also, this is a franchise that has hit very hard luck. It usually has had one of the top farm systems in the league. But, since MLB has taken over the Expos….the entire operation hasn’t been as top notch. Basically, the team has been run by people who know their jobs were temporary and really didn’t have much at stake in the team’s success [other than maybe jobs elsewhere]. They’ve lost their GM and are running on a skeleton crew.

Realize, too, that this announcement was made on September 29th. Spring training will be in 4 months. So, in that time…they have to actually move the team, find an owner for the team, approve it, finalize all the stadium deals, renovate RFK Stadium so it can house baseball until the new stadium is built, get an entire new staff together for the team, figure on a new name and logo [which, I’m sure, the new owner will want to select], securing a television deal in a market that already has the Orioles on, actually selling tickets to people, etc…etc….etc. Expansion teams usually have THREE years to pull a move like this off. The Expos have 4 months. The Expos’ 2005 season will be pretty disastrous. Since this whole thing will be hurried along….there will be a lot of “unfinished” segments of the franchise.

Oh, yeah. Remember, they are selling the Expos to this fan base. A franchise that has been to the playoffs ONCE in 36 years….and that was over 20 years ago. A franchise known more for trading players on the verge of greatness than having great players themselves. Their lone Hall Of Famer is Gary Carter….and he barely made it in….and he almost went in as a New York Met.

And, this team cannot be called the Washington Expos….can it?? Even for a year?? In this day and age, a name, logo, team colors and uniform are paramount to a team’s financial success. Get a cool look…and people will wear your gear…regardless how bad your team plays. Teams pay all kinds of money to firms that specialize in these matters. The Expos won’t have the luxury of (1) the wishes of the new owner [who may not be in place by opening day] to what the team’s direction is or (2) studying the demographics to understand what may flourish. The DC mayor has already nixed naming the team Senators again. 

They could stay the Expos….but that just gets rather touchy. In recent times, it has been extremely rare that a team changes its nickname a year or two after moving. The only one that comes to mind is the Tennessee Titans….who, oddly, faced a similar rush when moving the franchise. A late decision to leave Houston, the Oilers scrambled to get everything in place. The played their first season in Memphis as the Tennessee Oilers. They then moved to Nashville’s Vanderbilt University for a season. Then, played their first season in their new stadium in Nashville as theTitans. The Expos may have the same fate.

But, the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets, Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies, LA/St. Louis Rams, LA/Oakland Raiders, St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota/Dallas Stars, Kansas City/Sacramento Kings and New Orleans/Utah Jazz all kept their nicknames after the move. The Baltimore Ravens [Browns], Colorado Avalanche [Nordiques], Phoenix Coyotes [Jets] and Carolina Hurricanes [Whalers] all had brand spanking new names when they first hit the new scene.

Maybe, at least, the new team can keep that red-white-and-blue "M" logo from the Expos hat.....turn it upside down into a "W" to honor the past.  Probably not.

In the end, this really looks bad for baseball. A league that has actually prided itself for having franchise stability for over 30 years….something even the mighty NFL cannot compete with….after being known as the league of franchise moves. Now a team has defected. Will others now follow?? As badly as other teams also want to move, this whole process has shown that there really isn’t anywhere for a team to go. The Expo options were Washington, Portland, Northern Virginia and [slightly] New Jersey. DC is now taken…which pretty much eliminates Northern Virginia. Now, with the precedent of MLB paying off Baltimore Orioles Peter Angelos for stepping on his market toes….what stops anyone else from making the same demands?? If a team wants to move to Jersey, you know the Mets and Yanks want some cash. Especially since Steinbrenner uses Jersey as his threats. The Seattle Mariners would cry fowl over a team moving to Portland. And if the Oakland A’s want to move down to San Jose….the Giants will want a little chat. There are smaller areas like Norfolk, Raleigh and Nashville that want teams….but Norfolk is out with a DC and B-more teams nearby…and Raleigh and Nashville are struggling with teams they already have. Baseball is tapped out. And cities like Minneapolis, Miami, Tampa and Oakland are barely holding on.

The fans in Montreal have basically viewed the past 5 seasons as maybe being “the last one”. Again, they are the ones who have really been suffering here. Watching their beloved team treated like a stepchild no one wants around. Their players develop and leave. Their finest season ends in September with a strike. They have been told that the team may just die instead of moving. They also got to see their team play home games in Puerto Rico. Today, they got the official word that their team will be leaving….just 3 hours before their final home game. But, don’t be so sure that the Expos won’t still be in playing in Montreal next year…so they have a 6th chance to say goodbye.

I mean, au revoir!

Jose Guillen-tined

It’s weird how certain players just come into discussions all of the sudden.

This time it is Jose Guillen.

The Anaheim Angels….who are currently fighting for their playoff lives in the final week of the season…has suspended Guillen for the rest of the season and the playoffs if Anaheim gets there. The straw that broke the camel’s back came Sunday night, on ESPN2, when Guillen was going to be pinch ran for. Guillen stood on 1st base and threw his arms in the air….threw his helmet at manager Mike Scocia and slammed his glove in the wall.

There is nothing that shocking there. Yeah, I can see fines and suspension. And “the rest of the season” is only one week. But, still, it is the most important week of the season….an Guillen has been one of the best players on that team. There is obviously some underlying current here.

Some speculate that there have been other, behind the scenes, incidents this year. He’s had them every where else he goes. But, he can swing the stick….so someone takes him on every year.

In 1999.…when he was a PIRATE….he showed up for spring training late, without permission. In 2003...when he was a RED….he threw several bats against a wall after finding out that he was not in the lineup. Later that season….when he was an ATHLETIC….he complained in the media that manager Ken Macha didn’t tell him he would get a day off. Earlier this year….when he was an ANGEL….he publicly criticized his team for not “having his back” after he was hit by a pitch in Toronto.

And those are just things we know about.

Just like what happened Sunday night. We all saw it….but what haven’t we seen? Obviously something happened behind closed doors this year that the entire franchise decided it was cool to have their 100+ RBI man sitting at home while they were chasing the A’s with a week left.

And, this isn’t final. There will be a grievance filed thru the MLB Players Association. After that…I’m sure he’ll be reinstated to a team that really doesn’t want him around. By the time that happens…the Angels may be in the playoffs. If so, do the Angels activate Guillen?? Or, to prove their point, leave him off the playoff roster??

What about next year? I mean, do you think he’ll want to come back [he is signed thru next season] to a team that threw him out smack dab in the middle of a pennant chase?? Does anyone want him back??

To be continued….for sure.

11-3 This Week!!!!!

Alright. A nice week. Again, 11 wins…the same as last week. But this time I did that in only 13 games. So, my record [so far] is 32-14 heading into the Monday nighter with the Boys and Skins. Let’s look to see how I did.

EXCELLENT CALLS!!

STEELERS SLAP DOLPHINS. That Dolphin offense is horrible. Their defense is awesome. And they get to tee off on a rookie, Ben Roethleskjsdjfadjfkajfberger. Everything in my mind says to pick Miami. But, Miami couldn’t beat a “rookie” Carson Palmer last week. Also interesting to watch is who's team problems surface first?? The whole Steelers' "rookie QB" flap....or the Dolphins "defense vs offense" fued? Steelers 13-6

The final score was 13-3. Good call, Sportz!! Big Ben showed a lot of poise in that slop in Miami. The Dolphins have a ton of problems….and not all are on the offense.

RAVENS STUFF BENGALS. Tough game. But, the Bengals did struggle against Miami’s Mighty Defense…scoring their only touchdown on a INT return. Also, Miami’s offense was horrific. Baltimore, though not prolific, is much better. The loss of Todd Heap will sting, however....but this may be the game in which Jamal Lewis shines. Ravens 23-13

Ravens won 23-9. Palmer has a ton of talent. He just doesn’t have the experience yet. He made some really dumb passes in this game that cost the Bengals dearly. Nice to see Jamal Lewis get off the snide, as I predicted.

GOT THE GAME RIGHT…BUT NOT THE SCORE

GIANTS ERASE BROWNS. I will say this: Cleveland has played much better than I anticipated. They beat the division favorite Ravens and hung in there with the 'Boys. But, they have some injury issues they gotta deal with. NYC won their game because the Redskins gift wrapped the ball to them 7 times. Still, that momentum will linger as the Giants outlast the Browns. Giants 20-16

That momentum did linger…and the Giants are suddenly…and surprisingly…clicking.

BRONCOS KICK CHARGERS. Hey, it’s the Chargers. Okay...that was mean. But, Denver is better...even if they aren't playing like it. Broncos 30-21

I said a 9-pt game….well it was a 10-pt game. But, like I said….Denver isn’t playing like it is that good right now.

FALCONS CLAW CARDINALS. The Cards have played valiantly thus far this season….but the Falcons have just to much for them to handle. And that is even if Dunn doesn’t play[though he is probable]. The Cards have scrapped pretty well thus far...but they have their two biggest playmakers, Boldin and Shipp, out for most of the season. Falcons 21-10

Well, the game ended at 6-3...and what a sad game it was. Vick didn’t play that well….though he did pull off a nice run. In the end, the Falcons did win.

VIKINGS CAGE BEARS. The Bears have a legit shot at winning this game. If they can control the ball with Jones and control the clock....they keep that Vikes offense off the field. But, Dante and Randy will be ready to light it up when they do get on the field and after a mistake laden Monday nighter. Vikes 30-17

The Bears did have a legit shot at winning this game…but too little too late. A 27-15 game with 2:00 left [close to my prediction], Chicago scored and tried to get the onside kick. Nada. Again, the Bears did play a gutsy game.

RAIDERS OUTBRAWL BUCCS. This is one HECK of a matchup. Man, is there some battles here. A rematch of SB 37. Gruden against Oakland. Sapp against Tampa. Tim Brown against Oakland. Charlie Garner against Oakland. Pirate flags abound. The atmosphere at the Black Hole will be a sight to behold!! In this instance, Norv Turner will have his offense for Gruden to deal with....not his own. Oh, and did I mention that crowd?? A great Sunday Night matchup! Raiders 16-13

Congrats to Tim Brown for getting his 100th TD. And now Tampa is 0-3.

COLTS PACK PACKERS. I just think that it will be too climate controlled in the RCA Dome that Favre won’t be as affective. This is a kind of game the Packers lose. Dome games [even though their Super Bowl win was in a dome]. Manning and that offense will finally get a game on their track after two very tough road games. Colts 34-20

I told ya Favre wouldn’t be effective!! Oops. Well, Manning was more effective, and that offense did get on track! The defense also needs to, though.

SEAHAWKS PAN NINERS. The Niners have looked rather scrappy out there against the Falcons and Saints. But these Seahawks are a lot better and at home.....not to mention they've probably been the best team thus far. Seahawks 27-10

Well, not much to say except that the Niners were just blown out.

EAGLES SOAR OVER LIONS. The Lions are having a nice season thus far. But, beating the Bears and Texans are one thing. Beating this tough Eagles team is another. The key is early momentum....both offensively and defensively. If the Lions can limit turnovers and create some of their own....they can pull this one off. But, in the end, Philly has experienced guys who are supposed to win games like this. Eagles 27-23

The Lions were just not in the Eagles’ league on this one. Philly is hitting on all cylinders and struck very early. Chin up, Detroit….no one can beat Philly they way they are playing right now.

WRONG! WRONG!! WRONG!!!

CHIEFS SCALP TEXANS. Well, the Priest may not be there. Still, KC NEEDS this game…so I think Vermeil will have them ready [though this little tift with LJ hasn’t really helped matters]. This is one of those games that Trent Green has gotta show that he's a playoff winning QB. Chiefs 27-13

What is wrong in KC?? First, they get embarrassed by the Panthers at home….now they get beat by the Texans?? A team that was 9-0 last year is 0-3 this year. And two of those losses are at home. That defense sucks.

TITANS TAME JAGUARS. Big game for the Jags. If they can pull this off, they could be a legit contender for the AFC South crown. Too bad they won’t win. They’ve eeked out two very lucky wins so far. A last second heave against the Bills and a Broncos fumble....or they'd be 0-2. Luck runs out in Music City. Titans 28-13

And they eek out their third straight win….this one in division rival’s Tennessee’s domain.

RAMS TRAMPLE SAINTS. N’Awlins can win this game. But, the Rams should pull this one out. N'Awlins was pushed around by the Hawks and then almost beaten by the Niners. The Rams need to get their running game going….Faulk + Jackson = Unimpressive thus far. The Saints running game [McAllister] is sitting on the sidelines for a month. Rams 20-14

Well, McAllister’s replacement really stepped up and had a great game. So did Carney, who kicked 5 FG…including a couple of 50+ yarders. The Rams have yet to look good.

 

 

P.S.  I won the Monday Nighter as well:   COWBOYS OVER REDSKINS. Cowboys 17-13

I Hate Those Cowboys!!!!!

Cowboy Week.

The football team I hate more than all of the others combined….the Dallas Cowboys…will be coming into FedEx Field Monday night for a prime-time battle. A very interesting battle.

This year….two of the top coaches in NFL history will face off. Bill Parcells and Joe Gibbs. Both are fairly familiar with each other. Gibbs was with the Skins in the 80s and early 90s….while Parcells was with the Giants. They have 5 Super Bowl rings between them, including 4 in a 6 year period.

Also, you have two of the most charismatic owners in the NFL. The Cowboys have Jerry Jones, who has been very controversial since the minute he bought the Cowboys. On the Redskins side, they have Daniel Snyder. A young billionaire who acts like the Redskins are his real-life Fantasy League team.

Oh, and it is the Cowboys.

It is “America’s Team” against the “team from the nation’s capital”. It is cowboys and Indians. The heartland of Texas against the Beltway. Both are football crazy areas. And, fitting that a Texan sits in the White House.

This will be the 13th meeting between these two teams on Monday Night Football. Not surprising…the teams have split the 12 previous meetings: 6 wins apiece. Overall, however….the Redskins have a pretty poor record against the hated Cowboys. Just a 32-52-2 mark….including a 21-23 record at home. But, the Redskins have won the only two postseason meetings between the two teams.

Also, of late, Dallas has owned this series. Dallas has won 12 of the last 13 games against Washington. The only win coming late in the 2002 season.

But, that recent luck hasn’t just been bad against the Cowboys. The Redskins have lost 18 of their last 22 games against current NFC East teams….including a loss last Sunday to the New York Giants. Ugh.

But….these aren’t all bad memories. I’ll never forget the final game at RFK…when the Skins trounced the Boys. Or the 1983 NFC Championship game….when Washington won and advanced to play Miami in the Super Bowl. The goal line stand. The ‘93 season opener.

And this game should be a good one too. Both teams enter with 1-1 records. Both have solid home victories under their belts….as well as bad road losses. So, this game will go a long way to one of the team’s playoff hopes.

Oh, and some bragging for a while.

Sportz Takes 9.23.4

Here are just some random takes on things that I didn’t feel warranted an entire entry.

 

*Johan Santana should win the AL Cy Young.  He’s having a better pitching year than Schilling, hands down.  Yeah, Schill has more wins….but neither pitcher can control the amount of runs his own team scores.  All they can do is hold down the opposing team….which Santana has done better.

 

*Shawn Green should celebrate his holiday and everyone needs to respect that.  It really isn’t a big deal.  In a country founded on freedom of religion….it is funny how we only seem to respect the Christian faith.  If it was Christmas or Easter….would you persecute a deeply religious athlete for spending the holiday with his family?  Teams have Bible study groups.  Teams have a prayer before games.  Some teams provide someone to come in with teachings on Sundays for players who cannot go to their churches.  So why chastise Green for honoring his faith?? 

 

*This whole “Diaper Rash” has gotten out of hand.  Yeah, Vermeil shouldn’t have said it…especially about someone who apparently is over-sensitive.  Larry Johnson needs to let it go too.  I know, we all want to be treated with respect…..but this is football, the NFL and you are Larry Johnson.  I’d have more respect for your opinion on this matter if actually did something in your career thus far.  And if “diapers” get your “panties in a bunch”….then do you cry yourself to sleep during training camp?

 

*Now…I’m not a NASCAR fan in the least.  I am in favor of this “Chase For The Cup”.  But…the big drawback has already happened…intentional wrecks.  I’ve come to find out that NASCAR is a team/individual sport.  Basically….the team needs to help one individual win.  And that is what is going to happen.  Kinda like hockey.  The scorer is going to try to get ahead of the pack….and his goons are going to do their best to bruise up the competition.  Sounds far-fetched??  Well, one race in to the Chase and already a huge controversy involving an intentional wreck has smitten Robby Gordon. 

 

*I like golf…somewhat.  But, please….don’t act like I care about the Ryder Cup.  Sure, I always want the USA to win these things….but if we don’t, I’m not going to get bent out of shape.  Especially here.  A bunch of ultra-rich stuck up men battling for my nation’s pride.  Guys who play on golf courses that have armed guards at the gate and wouldn’t spit on me if I were on fire.  Wow.  Thanks.  It is about as relevant to me as, say, the Davis Cup.  Or when we, for some reason, send our Major Leaguers to Japan to play them for a week in November.  I don’t care. 

 

*A while back, I wrote an entry on my NCAA football ELITE EIGHT…and was torn up by posters for not including Michigan or Ohio State or any Big Ten team.  Well, why should I??  Michigan lost to a not-so-good Notre Dame team….then barely beat San Diego State in Ann Arbor.  Ohio State barely beat Marshall, who the week before was beaten at home by Troy State.  Iowa was completely dismantled at Arizona State [a Pac-10 school who I was told by these posters was overrated].  Wisconsin hasn’t looked good, even in victory.  Indiana followed up a nice win in Oregon by getting mauled by a bad Kentucky team.  Michigan State lost to Rutgers.  Penn State has been blown out.  Purdue has looked good….but we can wait and see on them.  Again, I’m not dumping on the Big Ten.  They are a collection of good teams in there that will beat each other up this year.  And because of that won’t be in my Elite Eight.

 

 

The N.B.A.A.R.P

Dennis Rodman. Clyde Drexler. And, now…..again…..Michael Jordan.  All are looking at returning to the NBA again.

Why?

I understand the who “competitive spirit” angle you may want to spin here….but, please. It is the, “hey…I am bored” angle that seems more sufficient.

None of it makes sense. Between the three of them….they own 12 NBA Championship rings. Also, between the three of them…they all have had major failures outside of their playing days.

Clyde Drexler didn’t last too long as the coach at his alma mater Houston. Nor did he stick anywhere we trying to get NBA jobs either. He is still searching for a front office job somewhere. But, he did get elected to the Hall Of Fame this year. Congrats!!

Rodman’s popularity went bye-bye when the spotlight from his Bulls days were over. A stint with the Lakers and Mavs went badly…and he’s been begging for a job in basketball ever since. It is one thing to be a freak with talent….but it’s quite another when the talent part is gone and you are now just a freak. That’s Michael Jackson realm, there. So, now he just goes around the talk circuit and makes comments about how great he was and how bad the NBA is now. So bad, that he wants back in.

Jordan….well we all know that. Horrible baseball player….not a great golfer….bad president of the Wizards….and divisive “teammate” of the Wizards until kicked out by the team. Charlotte didn’t want him….neither did Milwaukee. He is in a weird spot. He is a cash cow wherever he lands….but he also is now one of those guys who has baggage. Owners are really weary of him because he wants too much of the pie or too much control of the team. Also, he proved to be quite the un-teammate in Washington when he [allegedly] constantly ripped his teammates and was especially difficult on certain ones. A good question also is that is there that much of a demand to see Jordan back again??

In my mind…no. Sure, any of these guys have the right to come back if someone is willing to give them a job. It’s their life and the team’s money. But, give it a rest guys!!

I mean…how much longer before Ewing suits back up?? Or Hakeem?? I mean….the NBA is pretty void of centers. What about Sir Charles?? Heck…anyone would love to get Steve Kerr or Sean Elliot out there to hit a key jumper for them. Or just sign Calvin Murphy and Larry Bird to stay out there to hit free throws in the clutch. Maybe if the Lakers sign John Stocktonthen Malone will stay in LA as well??

Guys….you have your rings. Your Hall Of Fame careers. Your era. Let Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, LeBron James and the rest of the stars in today’s league take it to the next level.

I Feel Sorry For Wannstedt

    

I’m not a Miami Dolphin fan, but I sure feel sorry for Dave Wannstedt.

Of all the years to pretty much have your job under the microscope.

Last season, the Dolphins missed the playoffs with a 10-6 mark. Quite a nice record to be sitting at home in January. And, unlike in past seasons….the Phins actually won 5 of their last 7 games. It just wasn’t enough.

So, Wannstedt was stripped of his personnel duties and told to concentrate on coaching. Well….thank God those personnel decisions were well taken care of, huh?? First, Dan Marino was brought in to be…..well…..Dan Marino. After owner Wayne Huizenga adamantly denied this to be a “figure head role” for Marino…..do one else thought that way. Three weeks later, Marino stepped aside.

Oh yeah….those personnel decisions. Well, they dumped Brian Griese since he didn’t look to be the future of the franchise. But A.J. Feely was. They took a stab at a guy that had barely played in the NFL….and wanted him as the future [since it worked up the coast in Carolina with Delhomme]. They gave Feely every opportunity to “win” the starting job in the preseason. But, instead, the job stayed with Mr. Reliable-yet-unspectacular, Jay Fiedler. After a poor first half showing against the Titans….Fiedler was pulled for Feely. Feely has had 3 bad halves since then….and will be the starter against the Steelers this week. So….not only does it seem that Wannstedt has no say in personnel decisions in the front office….it looks as if he barely has them on the field.

At least he has Ricky Williams. Whoops. Williams “retired” [read: quit] the Dolphins just days before camp so he can find himself. Basically, all this working really bogarted his time smoking up the hippie lettuce. And, not surprising…his teammates aren’t really calling him up to wish him well or to talk him into coming back. Why would they be mad?? Williams was only THEIR ENTIRE OFFENSE!!! Not only was him quitting bad enough…but the timing left the Dolphins in a bind. They didn’t actively pursue anyone in the draft or via free agency. Eddie George was a free agent just days before Ricky quit. Bon Voyage, Pothead!!

And the guys that are still there aren’t helping matters either. Tight end Randy McMichael was charged when he hit his pregnant wife in a domestic dispute. Junior Seau made some offensive remarks. David Boston, their prized free agent, blew out his tire and is out for the season. They then traded holdout DE Adewale Ogunleye to the Bears for Marty Booker.

Their offensive line was patched up and been together for about a week now. Their running backs are horrible….and injured. No one respects their passing game….even though they have some good receivers. Because of that….the run “attack” has suffered. Just a mere 90 yards rushing in two games thus far. With that, a defense vs. offense rift has developed. Sam Madison has already ripped into Feely.

We get FOUR prime time chances to view this mess. They have two Monday night games…and two Sunday night games, including last week’s loss to the Bengals. Not to mention that a hurricane moved up their season opener to be the only NFL game played that day.

Not to mention that they could be playing in the toughest division in football. The defending champion Patriots are there.....the 2-0 Jets…and the underachieving Bills….all are much better than the Dolphins. They are 0-2 for the first time since 1988. Back in 1988, the Dolphins were the only news in town. Now, Miami holds the defending World Series champion as the Marlins and a Shaquille O’Neal in a Heat uniform. Interest in the Dolphins may be on a short leash.

Of course, all this blame will land on the shoulder of coach Dave Wannstedt. Not all of this is his doing. In fact, most of it isn’t. Soon, the players will give up on him because the season will be a lost cause and Wannstedt will be a lame duck. But, it pains me that he will get the brunt of this all season long….only to be [most likely] fired at season’s end….with *gasp* Steve Spurrier in to take his place.

While Dave isn’t the best coach in the league….he does deserve better than this. Thus, far, it seems he has been standing up to the heat pretty valiantly…only to know that he’s the captain of a sinking ship. For that, give him some credit. And Miamians, give him some mercy.

Week 3 Picks

Alright….on to Week Three. Maybe I can built on my 21-11 record thus far.

FALCONS CLAW CARDINALS. The Cards have played valiantly thus far this season….but the Falcons have just to much for them to handle. And that is even if Dunn doesn’t play. Falcons 21-10

RAVENS STUFF BENGALS. Tough game. But, the Bengals did struggle against Miami’s Mighty Defense…scoring their only touchdown on a INT return. Also, Miami’s offense was horrific. Baltimore, though not prolific, is much better. Ravens 23-13

VIKINGS CAGE BEARS. The Bears have a legit shot at winning this game. But, Dante and Randy will be ready to light it up after a mistake laden Monday nighter. Vikes 30-17

GIANTS ERASE BROWNS. I will say this: Cleveland has played much better than I anticipated. But, they have some injury issues they gotta deal with. NYC won their game because the Redskins gift wrapped the ball to them 7 times. Still, that momentum will linger as the Giants outlast the Browns. Giants 20-16

CHIEFS SCALP TEXANS. Well, the Priest may not be there. Still, KC NEEDS this game…so I think Vermeil will have them ready [though this little tift with LJ hasn’t really helped matters]. Chiefs 27-13

TITANS TAME JAGUARS. Big game for the Jags. If they can pull this off, they could be a legit contender for the AFC South crown. Too bad they won’t win. They’ve eeked out two very lucky wins so far. Luck runs out in Music City. Titans 28-13

RAMS TRAMPLE SAINTS. N’Awlins can win this game. But, the Rams should pull this one out. The Rams need to get their running game going….and the Saints running game is sitting on the sidelines for a month. Rams 20-14

EAGLES SOAR OVER LIONS. The Lions are having a nice season thus far. But, beating the Bears and Texans are one thing. Beating this tough Eagles team is another. Eagles 27-23

STEELERS SLAP DOLPHINS. That Dolphin offense is horrible. Their defense is awesome. And they get to tee off on a rookie, Ben Roethleskjsdjfadjfkajfberger. Everything in my mind says to pick Miami. But, Miami couldn’t beat a “rookie” Carson Palmer last week. Steelers 13-6

BRONCOS KICK CHARGERS. Hey, it’s the Chargers. Broncos 30-21

COLTS PACK PACKERS. I just think that it will be too climate controlled in the RCA Dome that Favre won’t be as affective. This is a kind of game the Packers lose. Manning and that offense will finally get a game on their track after two very tough road games. Colts 34-20

SEAHAWKS PAN NINERS. The Niners have looked rather scrappy out there against the Falcons and Saints. But these Seahawks are a lot better and at home. Seahawks 27-10

RAIDERS OUTBRAWL BUCCS. This is one HECK of a matchup. Man, is there some battles here. A rematch of SB 37. Gruden against Oakland. Sapp against Tampa. Tim Brown against Oakland. Charlie Garner against Oakland. Pirate flags abound. But, the atmosphere at the Black Hole will be a sight to behold!! Raiders 16-13

COWBOYS OVER REDSKINS. As much as this pains me to say….Washington just can’t beat a divisional opponent. That point was nailed home last week against the Giants. And Dallas has been especially tough. Cowboys 17-13

The Best And Worst Of The NFL

Well, two weeks of the NFL season are down….and we have 18 teams at 1-1. Well, that happens. We also have 7 teams at 2-0, and 7 teams at 0-2. Every year, there is some pleasant surprises at 2-0 and some big disappointment at 0-2.

WHO IS 2-0???

[Either the Vikings or Eagles], Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars.

TEAM MOST LIKELY TO STAY REALLY GOOD: Seattle Seahawks. The Patriots probably will too…but Seattle has already won TWO road games. One against offensive minded N’Awlins and the other against defensive minded Tampa. They’ve really played well on defense and they have some nice offensive weapons.

TEAM MOST LIKELY TO COME BACK DOWN TO EARTH: Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags are thhhhhissss close to being 0-2. They beat Buffalo on a last second heave. They beat Denver by a lucky turnover when Denver had the game all but won. Now, they have the Titans and Colts next, with KC, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Green Bay down the road. Don’t get me wrong….they can win these games and they can get into the playoffs. But, out of the 2-0 teams….they are the shakiest.

TEAM MOST LIKELY TO SURPRISE BY STAYING REALLY GOOD: New York Jets. I’m not hating on them…but they only did beat the Bengals and Chargers. Yet, the schedule is still kind to them. A bye this week. Miami, Buffalo and San Francisco after that…..a combined 0-6. Their schedule really isn’t that difficult to maneuver thru. ….though December will be a burner!

WHO IS 0-2???

Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs.

TEAM MOST LIKELY TO STAY REALLY BAD: Houston Texans. They have talent…but they’ve already lost to the Chargers and Lions, two teams they had a great shot to beat. They play in a division with the Colts, Titans and Jaguars. Also on their schedule….Chiefs, Vikings, Broncos, Packers and Jets. They also play the Bears, Browns and Raiders…all whom have shown signs of being pretty tough.

TEAM MOST LIKELY TO GET OUT OF THIS AND INTO PLAYOFFS: Kansas City Chiefs. They have talent, obviously…and they have holes [receiver, defense]. But, they are explosive enough to get back into the playoff race.

TEAM THAT COULD SURPRISE BY STAYING THIS BAD: Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They did lose two very close games….but they have rushing problems and now a QB controversy. Gruden has some issues at the receiver position and may have to bite bring McCardell back into the fold. They play in a division where, right now, pretty much every team is better than them.

Well, I Went 10-6

Alright. I was 11-5 in Week One. Far from perfect, but pretty good. Now…let’s look at my Week Two [shudder] predictions!! Or, let’s not. I had a subpar week and some close ones I lost. So far, I am 10-6 [I also just got the Philly-Minny game right]. Not bad…..not great.

PRETTY SOLID PICKS

LIONS CLAW TEXANS. No team could have been more disappointed last week than the Texans. In a very hyped up season, they lose their home opener to a team many feel is the worst in the NFL. Detroit didn’t look great….but got a win on the road which is a very big step for them…or any NFL team trying to make a move into the upper tier of the league. The Lions just have more talent. Lions 28-20

Houston looked better…but Roy Williams had one heck of a couple catches for Detroit.

RAVENS RIP STEELERS. This could be the game of the week. The Ravens were embarrassed in Cleveland last week. The Steelers held onto a win over Oakland. A slinging offense against a stingy defense. Great drama. But, Baltimore isn’t going to let Pitt get them at home. Ravens 20-10

The Ravens do what they do best. Kill the QB. They knocked Maddoz out, but Ben Roehterwerwkerwjerwjberger looked alright in relief. Not the game of the week, but a better one than many others Sunday.

RAIDERS PILLAGE BILLS. If the Bills could punch it in after that big INT last week…they’d be 1-0 now. Neither team is. But, the Raiders did show an ability to move the ball around. Raiders 17-7

Hey, I got one right!!

COLTS SLAP TITANS. This is a huge game for Indy. Not only have they been on 10 days rest….but coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Pats. They don’t want to be 0-2 and lose tiebreakers to the two other top teams in the AFC. The Colts will pull this game out. Colts 26-20

Manning and James shook off their mistake laden game last week and won a big game in a tough venue. Congrats.

JETS SLOW DOWN THE CHARGERS. The Jets looked pretty good against Cincy. Diego looked good against H-town. But, the Jets are the better team here. Jets 21-17

Good call.

PATRIOTS OVER CARDINALS. The best organization in the NFL against the worst. Pats 28-13

What a scene before the game, as Arizona remembered Pat Tillman. And, the Cards did put on a good showing in defeat.

BENGALS SINK DOLPHINS. The Phins have no offense to speak of. Heck, they’ve already had a QB change. Palmer, though not great, did showsigns of becoming a pretty good QB in the nearfuture. This will be a electric atmosphere for this game as both teams need a win. Bengals 24-13

Man, is that Dolphin defense good!! And is that Dolphin offense bad!!

CORRECT, BUT SLIGHTY EXAGGERATED

COWBOYS LASSO BROWNS. Let’s just say this….Parcells will have this Dallas team prepared to battle the Browns. But, if Vinny needs 50 throws again…it’ll be a long year in the Lone Star State. I have a feeling the Cowboys defense, which was murdered in Minnesota last week, will look to revive their good name. Cowboys 27-17

Vinny didn’t need 50 throws…but they did need him slinging. Their defense did look much better this week, but they let the Browns stick around too long.

SAINTS OVER NINERS. This game will be played in N’Awlins…which will be quite an emotional afternoon. Saints 30-10

Give it up to the Niners who had this game. Give it up to the Saints for winning a game like this. The Saints HAD to have this.

COMPLETELY WRONG!!!

CHIEFS SCALP PANTHERS. Carolina didn’t look to good against the Packers. Their offensive line is horrible. The KC defense isn’t that great, however. But it is good enough to send a blitzer every now and then since Steve Smith isn’t out there to make them pay. Chiefs 24-10

The Panthers played one heck of a game…and Deshawn Foster stepped up amazingly in Davis’ place. If the Chiefs are losing home games like this…they have some deeply rooted problems, especially on defense and in their receiving corp.

BRONCOS STOMP JAGUARS. The Jags pulled that last win out of their wazoo. The Broncos new defense wasn’t dominant….but effective. Sorta like Jacksonville’s. I just feel that Leftwich will make a few mistakes that will cost the Jags a win. Broncos 17-13

An ugly game that the Broncos had won. If Griffin doesn’t fumble on the 20 yard line with :30 remaining…Elam kicks the FG and Denver goes home with a win. Now, the unlikely Jags are 2-0.

PACKERS SLAM BEARS. A great rivalry….but the Packers really looked good defensively Monday night. And they have Favre and Green on offense to go along with some solid receivers. Packers 34-20

Who knew? The Packers go into the defending NFC Champs place and blow out the Panthers. The Bears lose at home to the Lions. So, of course, Chicago goes into Green Bay and wins 21-10.

RAMS BITE FALCONS. I want to pick the Falcons so bad….but I can’t. Neither team looked that great in games they should have dominated. But, the Rams defense is good enough to slow down the Atlanta offense. I can’t say the same thing the other way around. Rams 31-26

I should have picked the Falcons. Vick looked much better this week, and the Rams didn’t. What happened to their running game???

REDSKINS BELITTLE GIANTS. This would be a key game for the Redskin franchise. Over the past 4 years, the Skins have been HORRIBLE against division foes, especially on the road. This is one of those games that you gotta win if you want to be in the playoffs. Gibbs will have them ready. Skins 24-10

Well, I got the right numbers…2, 4, 1, 0. It was just 20-14...and the G-men winning. Of course, I didn’t expect the Skins to implode with 7 TURNOVERS!!!

BUCCANEERS CONQUER SEAHAWKS. I’m going by the assumption that Alexander won’t be a factor in this game. Because of that, the Buccs can concentrate on trying to lock down those tough Hawk receivers. Garner will break out with a nice game…and Johnson will be efficient. Buccs 28-24

This was a completely wrong. Not only did I pick the wrong team….but I didn’t pick a defensive struggle. Heck, combined these teams scored 16 points. Johnson wasn’t efficient at all. Sims next week???

 

The NHL Won't Look The Same Again

Contraction.

And ugly word….but it has been thrown around recently in sports. Especially the MLB and NHL. Well, we all saw how well it went for baseball….and they have a team that plays in 3 different countries!!!

But, the NHL may look at contraction to help deal with their financial woes.

The pros are that with less teams…there would be less travel. Less destinations. Also, the worst players in the league would all be in the minors or Europe. The worst officials would be back in the minors. Also, all of their TV money would be divided up with less slices.

Or course, just how much better played will a game be with less teams?? If the best of the best can’t score on these fringe players….then how will they do with these guys gone?? The game would actually have LESS scoring. The better defenders and goalies would all survive.

But, when the NHL was at 24 teams, back in 1992-93.…the top 10 scorers all had at least 123 points. Since that season, only Gretzky, Lemieux and Jagr have amassed 122 points.

A problem the NHL must realize is that there really is no pressure here. Unlike the NBA, NFL or MLB….there won’t be as many fans clamoring for the NHL to get back to business. The NHL isn’t as popular as those leagues. Also, when the NHL season is going on….there is the NFL, NBA, NCAA football and NCAA basketball filling up our sports appetite. Also, unlike those other leagues, NHL players can go other places and make good money. They all can go back to their home countries and make good money in their leagues. The NFL has nothing. The NBA has Europe…but who would want to go there?? They can’t even handle Toronto!!! MLB players could go to Japan…but again….why would they??

So, who to kick out?? How many?? And why? Well, there is a bunch of ways to decide this. Let’s just start with a basic SIX teams to contract….and get the league back to 24 teams.

*Carolina Hurricanes. This isn’t going to work in Raleigh. Yeah, it was pretty intense when they battled the Red Wings in the Cup Finals a few years back. But, the Carolinas aren’t “hockey crazy”. It is rumored that the Canes lost $20M last year alone. Good bye.

*Pittsburgh Penguins. I’m sad to say this….but if Mario cannot get this team moving…no one can. This franchise is barely holding on, even with its recent tradition. Please, put these fans out of their misery.

*Atlanta Thrashers. No offense, but nip this one in the bud. TheFlames didn’t work in Hot-lanta and the Thrashers will soon follow suit. This team is losing tons of money and doesn’t show any trends to suggest it can turn it around. People, Atlanta isn’t exactly the best sports town, either. No one cares about the Hawks. The Falcons need Michael Vick to get anyone to care about the Dirty Birds. The Braves have won 300 straight division titles….yet cannot sell out a playoff game. So, who are the Thrashers??

*Nashville Predators. Hmmm…a third southern team. Just one of those deals that everyone likes a new toy….but we grow out of it after a while. Especially now, with the Titans entrenched in Nashville. Attendance is very low…..as is overall interest. The Preds just do not fit and may need to become extinct like the Sabertoothed tiger, which is their logo.

*Florida Panthers. An early Cup appearance…but this franchise is finished. Maybe the Lightning could play some of their home games in Miami so those fans can get their hockey fix.

*….or just kill hockey in Florida. The Tampa Bay Lightning. That’ll be hard to do after their Cup.

If you wanted to slash even more….say down to 20.….here would be the next round of cuts:

*Mighty Ducks of Anaheim [great name, but just not the interest when you have Clippers, Lakers and Kings during the winter]…..Columbus Blue Jackets [another great name, just not tradition]…..Phoenix Coyotes [a hockey team in the desert…..riiiiight]……either the Edmonton Oilers or Calgary Flames….the Buffalo Sabres.

Most likely, contraction may not happen. Teams may just end up folding or closing up shop. Six teams [allegedly] have filed bankruptcy in recent years. The most likely candidates to fold are those franchises in the Sun Belt…..who are more endeared to NASCAR and college football…..sports that those fans will more than happily spend their money on. And, with most of those franchises fairly new…..not many would really miss the NHL if they closed up shop.

At least, they’ll get to find out starting now.

Dumb Sports Deals Of All Time

Mr. Irrelevant threw out a question of “what is the worst trade of all time?” He had the Curt Schilling, Pete Harnich and Steve Finley-for-Glen Davis trade on there. But, here are a few others that could make it up there.

*In 1983, John Elway was the #1 overall pick…..of the Baltimore Colts. Elway refused to play in B-more….and had a baseball career lined up. So, the Colts dealt him to the Broncos for QB Mark Hermann, OT Chris Hinton and a 1st rounder in 1984 [Ron Solt]. Elway wento on to 5 Super Bowls….winning two…and becoming the QB with the most wins in NFL history. Hinton did make a few Pro-Bowls, with Hermann and Solt really not making a huge impact on the Colts…..nothing near the realm of what Elway did in Denver.

*In June 1980, the Golden State Warriors traded Robert Parish and the #3 pick in the draft to the Boston Celtics for the #1 and #13 pick in the 1980 draft. With that #1 pick, Golden State nabbed Joe Barry Carroll. With #13, they got Rickey Brown. The Celtics used the #3 pick to get Kevin McHale. As we all know, Parish and McHale joined Bird to form one of the best frontcourts of all time….resulting in 3 NBA Championships in 5 Finals. Both are amongst the NBA’s Top 50 Players. Carroll did play well early in his NBA career….but the Warriors only made the playoffs once with him there. Brown never average more than 6 ppg.

*The Cincinnati Reds thought they should trade away one of their stars before he entered his decline. So they did. They dealt him to Baltimore for Milt Pappas, Dick Simpson and Jack Baldschun. They guy they dealt was Frank Robinson. Robinson went on to win the Triple Crown that season and led the Orioles to a World Series title. Good move, Cincy!!

*Here are two trades that built dynasties. First, the Dallas Cowboys traded Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings for 5 players and 6 draft picks. Emmitt Smith was chosen with one of those picks….and others were used in bait for other deals. Walker’s reign in Minnesota lasted just 2 ½ years.

*Eric Lindros was traded from the Quebec Nordiques to the Philadelphia Flyers. Lindros refused to play for Quebec, who drafted him. So, the ‘Diques made the deal. Quebec got back Peter Forsberg, Ron Hextal, Chris Simon, Mike Ricci, Kerry Huffman, Steve Duchesne, a couple of draft picks and cash. A couple of years after the deal….the Nordiques moved to Colorado, become the Avalanche, and win 2 Stanley Cups and 8 straight division titles. Lindros wasn’t a bust….but he also wasn’t the next Mario or Wayne, either.

*Of course, what kind of list would this be without the selling of Babe Ruth from the Red Sox to the Yankees. The trade, I guess, is Babe Ruth for the musical “No No Nanette”….which the Red Sox owner needed money to finance. So, the Sox made the deal…..and we all know the significance since then. And that isn’t the only time a superstar was sold. The New York Nets sold Dr. J to the Sixers for $3M. Their fans sued the team for a refund of their tickets….and won. The Nets then moved to Jersey when they moved into the NBA. In a few years, the Nets will be going back to NYC.

Here are a few other bad deals over the years.

*Dodgers trade Pedro Martinez for Delino DeShields.

*Mets trade Nolan Ryan, Don Rose, Leroy Stanton and Francisco Estradea to Angels for Jim Fregosi

*Bulls make a draft day deal by trading Olden Polynice to the Sonics for Scottie Pippen.

*St. Louis Hawks trade Bill Russell to the Celtics for Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan.

*White Sox trade Sammy Sosa across town to the Cubs for George Bell.

*Red Sox trade Jeff Bagwell to Astros for Larry Anderson.

*Tigers trade John Smoltz to Braves for Doyle Alexander.

Many of these deals are made with young guys going to new places and just panning out better than anyone expected. So, you never know when your team does make that big deal and you see the garbage you get in return……might just turn into gold.

Sportz Week Two Picks

Alright. I was 11-5 in Week One. Far from perfect, but pretty good. But, usually, the first week is the hardest to predict. So, one to Week Two.

CHIEFS SCALP PANTHERS. Carolina didn’t look to good against the Packers. Their offensive line is horrible. The KC defense isn’t that great, however. But it is good enough to send a blitzer every now and then since Steve Smith isn’t out there to make them pay. Chiefs 24-10

COWBOYS LASSO BROWNS. Let’s just say this….Parcells will have this Dallas team prepared to battle the Browns. But, if Vinny needs 50 throws again…it’ll be a long year in the Lone Star State. I have a feeling the Cowboys defense, which was murdered in Minnesota last week, will look to revive their good name. Cowboys 27-17

BRONCOS STOMP JAGUARS. The Jags pulled that last win out of their wazoo. The Broncos new defense wasn’t dominant….but effective. Sorta like Jacksonville’s. I just feel that Leftwich will make a few mistakes that will cost the Jags a win. Broncos 17-13

LIONS CLAW TEXANS. No team could have been more disappointed last week than the Texans. In a very hyped up season, they lose their home opener to a team many feel is the worst in the NFL. Detroit didn’t look great….but got a win on the road which is a very big step for them…or any NFL team trying to make a move into the upper tier of the league. The Lions just have more talent. Lions 28-20

PACKERS SLAM BEARS. A great rivalry….but the Packers really looked good defensively Monday night. And they have Favre and Green on offense to go along with some solid receivers. Packers 34-20

RAVENS RIP STEELERS. This could be the game of the week. The Ravens were embarrassed in Cleveland last week. The Steelers held onto a win over Oakland. A slinging offense against a stingy defense. Great drama. But, Baltimore isn’t going to let Pitt get them at home. Ravens 20-10

RAMS BITE FALCONS. I want to pick the Falcons so bad….but I can’t. Neither team looked that great in games they should have dominated. But, the Rams defense is good enough to slow down the Atlanta offense. I can’t say the same thing the other way around. Rams 31-26

REDSKINS BELITTLE GIANTS. This would be a key game for the Redskin franchise. Over the past 4 years, the Skins have been HORRIBLE against division foes, especially on the road. This is one of those games that you gotta win if you want to be in the playoffs. Gibbs will have them ready. Skins 24-10

BUCCANEERS CONQUER SEAHAWKS. I’m going by the assumption that Alexander won’t be a factor in this game. Because of that, the Buccs can concentrate on trying to lock down those tough Hawk receivers. Garner will break out with a nice game…and Johnson will be efficient. Buccs 28-24

RAIDERS PILLAGE BILLS. If the Bills could punch it in after that big INT last week…they’d be 1-0 now. Neither team is. But, the Raiders did show an ability to move the ball around. Raiders 17-7

SAINTS OVER NINERS. This game will be played in N’Awlins…which will be quite an emotional afternoon. Saints 30-10

COLTS SLAP TITANS. This is a huge game for Indy. Not only have they been on 10 days rest….but coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Pats. They don’t want to be 0-2 and lose tiebreakers to the two other top teams in the AFC. The Colts will pull this game out. Colts 26-20

JETS SLOW DOWN THE CHARGERS. The Jets looked pretty good against Cincy. Diego looked good against H-town. But, the Jets are the better team here. Jets 21-17

PATRIOTS OVER CARDINALS. The best organization in the NFL against the worst. Pats 28-13

BENGALS SINK DOLPHINS. The Phins have no offense to speak of. Heck, they’ve already had a QB change. Palmer, though not great, did show signs of becoming a pretty good QB in the near future. This will be a electric atmosphere for this game as both teams need a win. Bengals 24-13

EAGLES SOAR OVER VIKINGS. This should be a great game! On one side, you’ll have Terrell Owens. On the other, Randy Moss. WOW!! McNabb and Culpepper [who were drafted the same year]. Um…that back for the Eagles against….um…that back for the Vikings. The defense and coaching are a little better on Philly’s side. Eagles 20-14

I Went To A Rangers Game And A Jerry Springer Show Broke Out!!

What happened in Oakland Monday night is just another reminder how the rules of sports often are in total disagreement with rules of society.

If you don’t know, Frankie Francisco of the Rangers was in his bullpen when fans in Oakland heckled him. Francisco picked up a plastic chair and threw it into the crowd…hitting some fans and breaking a woman’s nose. The next morning, Francisco was arrested for aggravated battery. He was released on bond.

Last year, Rangers outfielder was hit in the head by a cell phone thrown from the stands in Oakland.

But, to suddenly criticize today’s players or how society at large is going down the tubes is both premature and futile. Crap like this has gone on as long as sports have been around. Back in 1912, Ty Cobb went into the stands to smack around a heckler. Cobb, one of the best and fiercest baseball players of all time, pummeled this man. The man, really had no shot….not because he wasn’t an athlete….but because he had just ONE HAND!!! And that hand only had two fingers!!

Babe Ruth chased a fan in the stands. The fan got away…the Babe came back and stood on the roof of the dugout and challenged anyone in the crowd the come down and fight him. No one took the challenge.

Four years ago, Cubs fans threw beer all over the Dodgers pitchers in the bullpen and tried to steal their hats off of their heads. The players, and some coaches, went into the stands and a melee ensued.

In 1981, Reggie Smith, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, was being heckled….and snapped! He climbed into the stands, got a few punches in, then the Giants FANS started jumping on him and pounding him. Eight fans were charged with misdemeanors and Michael Dooley, the ire of Reggie Smith, went to jail. In 1961, Jimmy Piersall had to take down a couple of fans who jumped the fence to attack him at Yankee Stadium. In 1995, Randy Myers of the Astros gave up a key HR…and a fan, who was reaching for his pockets, tried to attack Myers….who tackled and held him on the ground.

This isn’t a joke. Things can get scary. Most of us remember that almost exactly two years ago, two fans climbed out of the stands at Chicago’s Comisky Park and blindsided Royals’ coach Tom Gamboa, who was 20 years older than the oldest attacker [the other attacker was his 15-year old son]. Gamboa suffered a permanent hearing loss. It could have been worse; they found a knife in the attacker’s pocket. The very next season, after security was “beefed up” a fan at Comisky ran onto the field an attacked an umpire.

So now, the blame game begins. It is the fault of the A’s to have adequate security. It is the Rangers fault for not turning the other cheek. It is the fans fault for thinking they can start this. It is Bud Selig’s fault because, well, any problem in baseball is his fault!

And, of course, everyone scrambles to find ways to keep this from occurring. Number one on this list is usually how close the fans are to the field. One of the great things about baseball is how close the fans are to the action [unlike football]. But, of course, that also can lead to problems. Many of the semi-older ballparks have their bullpens in little areas that are pretty much right there with the fans down one of the foul lines. Some have them mixed in close with the outfield stands. The newer parks usually keep the fans much higher up than the bullpen is….so the fans can look into there, but there is limited personal contact.

One of the other all-time issues is alcohol sales. Many ballparks limit the sale of alcohol so that after a certain inning [after the 7th inning stretch] there is no more beer for sale. That would work….but a fan still can have quite a few beers in the first 6 innings…not to mention the beers he drank tailgating or at a bar before the game. One solution could be to get rid of beer vendors in areas that fans are near players. That would force fans to actually get up from their seat and go get their beers. While that doesn’t seem like a big improvement….if a fan is semi-drunk, he may not be motivated to actually get up and go anywhere……instead, just wait for the “beer guy” to come around for another round.

Also, players DO need to be held accountable. As I opened up…I said that sports and society usually have different rules. You can’t go out a beat the crap out of someone in the street, or your yard….but you can do it on the diamond, rink or gridiron. Yeah, recently, certain NHL incidents have made it to the court of law. And as far as fans vs. players…they must realize that when the cross that wall…they’ve crossed the line. And there is NO EXCUSE for throwing ANYTHING…let alone a chair…into a CROWD of people! That is reprehensible.

Look, I’m not one of those guys that thinks that fans can do or say whatever they want to players. Just because I bought a ticket doesn’t give me the right to think that I can completely degrade another human being just because he’s wearing a jersey with another city’s name on it. But, some do. And players need to remember that these people do go out of their way to come see you play a freakin’ game. Yeah, they’ll say some garbage. The “you suck” is nothing to get bent up about. But, I’m sure that some fans go a little further with their spewing. Personal information, racial slurs or even a family tragedy get some people to say some very horrible things. In an incident like this, the player needs to go to security [which is all over the place in most ballparks]….point the guy out….and get him removed from the game, or possibly banned from the stadium for life.

Either way, this is just another black eye for the sports world, and athletes in general.

The sad thing is that in a few weeks….no one will care anymore.

The Good, Bad and Ugly Of Week One

WEEK ONE REVIEW

THE GOOD

JAGS PULLS VICTORY out of the jaws of defeat. Jacksonville didn’t look good at all Sunday. Leftwich didn’t either. But, when it counted, they moved the ball down the field…and made a ballsy call on the 4th down play [with :04 remaining] of tossing it out there for his WR to get. Great win Jack Del Rio and great win Jags!!!

WHO SAID THIS IS A SLINGERS LEAGUE??? Well, maybe in Minnesota it is. But Priest Holmes, Ahman Green, Jerome Bettis and Shaun Alexander would beg to differ. All had outstanding performances in the opener. And I guess Denver can just plug in anyone to run the ball behind that offensive line. Quentin Griffith went off!

NEW FACES MAKE DIFFERENCE. Jeff Garcia in Cleveland, Terrell Owens in Philly and Clinton Portis in DC made huge impressions in their new digs.

THE BAD
THE COLTS CHOKED with three turnovers in the red zone…topped by James’ fumble at the 1-yard line when they were streaking with momentum. Then, catching a break from the Pats’ defensive laps….Vanderjagt finally misses a FG. Naw, Indy….it isn’t in your head. Just ask Chris Rix how he feels about those Miami Canes.

STEVE SMITH broke his leg. Ugh. And that’s bad for the Panthers, who really need Smith out there to stretch the defense.

COWBOYS DOWN!! Um….and this was the top rated defense of 2003?? Ouch!

THE UGLY

THE ENTIRE RAVEN EFFORT was shocking. Not only were there blown defensive assignments….poor offense and a lack of intensity….but Jamal Lewis sniffed up only 57 yards. He gained almost 500 yards on the Browns last year alone!!!! Big ups to Cleveland for coming with a nice effort!!

JAY FIELDER already lost his starting job. Why?? Yeah, he sucked against Tennessee…but is Feely any better?? I mean, Wannestadt has new backs, new line, new receivers…..why does he need a new QB?? What’s the point of the pre-season if you are just going to pull the plug on your man after a game in which the suddenly lost a day to prepare??

BAD DEBUTS. Sometimes it doesn’t go as well. Neon Deion really didn’t do much in B-more. Eddie George is showing why the Titans didn’t want to pay him.

Hey, I was 11-4!! Not bad

Last week, I made my predicitions on this journal about how the NFL Week One would pan out.  Let's take a look and see how I did, shall we???

RIGHT ON!!!!

REDSKINS PILLAGE BUCCANEERS. Portis. Portis. Portis. Play action. Coles. If the Skins defense played like it did against the Falcons last week…..they will win. Redskins 24-17

Well, I said they’d win by 7...and they won by 6. Not to mention that the Skins defense played superbly against the Buccs.

PATRIOTS PASTE THE COLTS. I really think that the new rules will hurt the Pats here against the Colts….but, Thursday night in from of the entire nation watching….sure seems like Tom Brady Time!! Pats 24-20

I got close to the 27-24 score….and it was Brady Time!

TITANS TAME DOLPHINS. Well, the Dolphins offense is currently getting high and eating curry in India right now. Tennessee is looking for a running game, too. Titans 17-10

Wow. The actual score was 17-7. Not bad.

VIKINGS RIDE OVER COWBOYS. One of the best match-ups will be Moss against that Cowboys’ secondary. But, who is Dallas’ QB??? Exactly. And their running game hasn’t looked that great either. At least the Vikes have Dante. Vikings 28-17

….and Dante threw one more TD that I predicted the score would be: 35-17.

JETS LAND ON THE BENGALS. Interesting tid-bit I heard [but didn’t research]. Every year the Bengals have made the playoffs….they’ve beaten the Jets. Well, no playoffs in 2004. Jets 27-20

Just add 4 points to each teams total….and you got the final!!

LIONS MAUL BEARS. Detroit has more healthy weapons the Chicago does. Lions 23-14

The final score was 20-16...but it would have been 20-14 if the Lions didn’t take an intentional safety late in the game.

FALCONS PAN PAST NINERS. Barely. Atlanta [read: Vick] has looked lousy in the pre-season. But, the entire Niners looked bad as well. Let’s just hope Barlow has a big game [FFL ALERT]. Falcons 20-16

I was in the vicinity of the 21-19 score.

RIGHT PICKS….NOT RIGHT SCORES!!!

BRONCOS OVER CHIEFS. Excellent rivalry game for the Sunday night tilt. Priest Holmes against Clinton…..errr….never mind. Gonzalez against Shannon Sh……never mind. Why not!!! Broncos 26-21

I had no concrete evidence to why Denver would win…except that they usually play the Chiefs well.

EAGLES TACKLE GIANTS. Let’s see…..an angry Philly team. A division rival. A weak, division rival. A QB that’s suddenly mistake prone. Home game. Possible message sender. Eagles 30-3

The final was 31-17, as the Eagles did struggle to stop Tiki

STEELERS NAIL RAIDERS. Whichever QB wins, keeps his job for another week. It will be Maddox…because of Staley. Steelers 16-7

Well, the offenses played a LOT better than I anticipated.

RAMS BUCK CARDINALS. No need to explain. Rams 34-13

Well, the Rams offense didn’t look as good as I thought it should. But they did get the win, 17-10.

DEAD WRONG!!!!

SAINTS SHOOT DOWN SEAHAWKS. Brooks and McAllister will be ready to go….but can the Saints D-fense hang with the Hawks’ wide-outs?? I say, YES!! Saints 23-20

Heck, they couldn’t hang with Alexander.

BILLS BATTER THE JAGS. Leftwich has an ouchie on his finger….and the Bills could be one of the NFL’s pleasant surprises this year. Henry and MaGhee runs all over the Jags. Remember, at this point last year Buffalo whipped the Patriots. Bills 30-13

Well, I did say that the Jaguars would score 13 points…….but the Bills scored 1/3 of what I thought they’d get.

RAVENS ERASE BROWNS. If you saw any Browns pre-season games….you saw Garcia running around for his life. Now, this is the regular season……against BALTIMORE!!! Gar-SEE-YA!!! Ravens 31-10

Horrible pick.

TEXANS STOP CHARGERS. The “worst game of the week”. So Don Criqui must be there. If Houston can hold LT under 400 yards…they’ll win. Texans 21-14

Ugh.

So….with the Monday game remaining….I did finish with a very respectable 11-4 record…with six games I was pretty close on the scoring figures [though none that I picked perfectly].

To All The Haters and Big Ten Fans!!!!!

Last week, I put together my ELITE EIGHT of college football for this season. And, the fine fans of the Big Ten schools lambasted me for not putting any of their schools amongst the elite. Well, like I said…those schools were in the 9-14 range….but definitely NOT in my top 8. I heard that I don’t know anything about the Big Ten schools….yet I live just outside of Cincinnati…and am force-fed Ohio State, Purdue and Michigan games all year instead of seeing the ACC and Pac-10 games that are on regional coverage elsewhere. Heck, I had to see the OSU-Cincinnati game last week…then OSU-Marshall this week, though the latter turned into quite a game. Again, it isn’t a slight to the Big Ten…it is my honest assessment of the NCAA landscape.

This past weekend, Michigan lost to a bad Notre Dame team. A Notre Dame team that couldn‘t beat a down BYU squad. Then, down the road in Columbus, Ohio State needed a dumb fake FG to beat mighty Marshall [who were embarrassed at home a week ago]. Iowa, a 25 pt favorite, squeaked by Iowa State. Wisconsin didn‘t look good against those mighty UNLV Rebs either. Hey, all of those were wins though.

Purdue did blow up Ball State…and Minnesota lit up Illinois State. Penn State looked bad against a weak BC team; Northwestern was rolled up at home against the Sun Devils. And, UCLA defeated a game Illinois squad. But, give it up to Indiana….who went into Oregon and beat the Ducks in their season opener!!!

BILLYMOON1
I have seen like alot of other people, that you have no Big 10 teams in your list, instead you have teams like Miami, FSU, Texas(where on earth do you get them in the top ten?!?!), and Florida?!?!. 4 teams that didn't make it too the Big game last year, Miami is the closest to that, and they are very overrated by EVERYBODY. FSU doesn't have a Quarterback, Texas hasn't ever beaten the Sooners in the past couple of years(in fact i think they were blown out last year). They also dont play well enough to be that good. And Florida? You've got to be kidding me, what were they 8-5 last year? The days of Florida domminence are gone, with the loss of Miami's Seniors over the past two years, the loss of Steve S. from Florida, and the fact that FSU got beat by CLEMSON last year, kinda shows that. I'll give you a top 10 that's more like this:

1. University of Southern Cal
2. University of Georgia
3. Oklahoma
4. (tie) University of Michigan
(tie) The Ohio State University
6. LSU
7. University of Miami(OH)
8. University of Miami(FL)
9. West Virginia
10. Purdue

Miami-OH in the Top 10??!?!?? NEXT!!!!

PETE101945
you need to drink more of what you have been drinking, the big ten should have two teams in what you call the top 8.
you had to be drunk when you watched games this week end or what we all think is true, that you really don't have an idea of what you are saying.

I don‘t drink, actually….and if you saw the Big Ten this weekend….you‘ll see why I don‘t have any of them in my Elite Eight. Thanks for your input, however.

KEMFAM1
What about the Wolverines? They got to be in the top 8. I know they have a young QB but they still have to be there.

HOLTCD
Most of you are right. The Big Ten (11) rarely gets the respect they deserve. Anyone following college football in recent years would see Ohio State and Michigan in this "top 8" group. GO BUCKS!!!

DNLSERAFINI
Where are all of you Big Ten Teams? The Big Ten is just as strong as ever and several teams should be up in that mix including Ohio State, Michigan, and Iowa. Ohio State may have lost some players on both sides of the ball but it looks as if they are going to be just as strong as before. Ohio State all the way!

DARBY2v
Looks like the same typical stuff that all the other sports fans put out. Of course this list excluded any team from the Big 10, but again, nothing new. Georgia will end up losing 3 games this year though.

TEUFE1314
michigan gets no respect, yet still wins. Michigan needs to be on the list, higher than Florida, higher than FSU!

Again....good calls!!

UNIBERG
LSU is not the team it was last year.....as we saw this past Saturday....Oregon State is again a "spoiler team".....and will hurt many other bowl bound teams.... of course the PAC10 was again ignored....except for USC......the top two teams in the PAC10, USC and OREGON will battle for the ROSE BOWL....but unfortuantely, they do not play each other this year......

Oregon was beaten at home by Indiana. INDIANA!!! Oregon State lost badly to Boise State…which isn’t that big of a shock. California will be the team to battle USC for the Rose Bowl….and they get their shot.

VLADI97169
You can tell who ever did this has no football sence what so ever, where is MICHIGAN, Washington, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa, Why do you guys keep picking all those Florida teams? Just so you can look like IDIOTS at the end of the year. MICHIGAN just man handled a team that had a 14 game,(the longest) win streak in the nation. AHHH DUHH!!! You will see..........................................

I did see….Michigan lose to a bad Notre Dame team. As for “manhandled a team that had a 14 game win streak”….that team is a shell of the team from a year ago. Some guy name Roethlesberger was the QB then, and he’s gone. So, you didn’t BEAT that 14-game winning team. “Where is Washington”??? You gotta be kidding me!! And you smack me about my picks and “football sense“?? As for Iowa and Wisconsin….well neither looked that great this Saturday either…against much inferior opponents.

TBEAR
you forgot the best team in the big 10 and that would be MICHIGAN, very very good football team on both sides of the ball. they have very good quarterbacks (3) all who can start, great recievers, great defence, the running game needs a little work, but still solid. MICHIGAN can beat anybody in the nation. GOOOOO BLUEEEEE. tbear329

Except Notre Dame.

CLEVENGERB
You, as all others (so, dont feel bad) have overlooked, once again, the BUCKEYES. That is all that is needed to be said. Time will prove you, like the many others in the past, that the BUCKEYES are contenders for the Top 5, if not the Top 1. Dont underestimate a BUCKEYE! Don't you read History books???

What does “History Books” have anything to do with this season?? And we all know that OSU players don’t read history books, eh. Well, history tells me that Ohio State waited 34 years for its last championship. So, I guess we’ll see ya in 2038!!

MARINER410
Where did you get your alleged knowledge of football??? From listen to Terry Bow-Down on TV or reading the releases from these schools' SIDs.

Come on...show a little moxie and don't stick with the obvious choices...and thank God you didn't throw ND into the mix.

Yeah. Thank God….or I would have REALLY made those Michigan fans angry!! As for “sticking with obvious choices”….maybe there is a reason they are “obvious”. THEY ARE THE BEST TEAMS!!!!

AIRJOCKIE
You know nothing about college football. You give no respect to LSU but all kinds of respect to weak teams like USC and Miami(Fl). They play in weaker conferences and you talk like it is the second coming. Be a little more objective. LSU is the NATIONAL CHAMPIONS.

Let‘s see….if USC and Miami play in weaker conferences…then isn‘t it more likely for them to breeze thru the season and get to this BCS games??? As for LSU, geez, a #5 spot is “no respect”?? Especially since they have no set QB and their defense is young….not to mention a pretty tough schedule.

TBALLARD05
Obviously you dont know too much about college football! Michigan is a top 5 team, and with the light schedule this year, except for minor potential stumbling blocks against Purdue, Iowa, and Ohio St. they are a Orange Bowl lock!

Light schedule??? They are AT Ohio State and AT Purdue….two of the three teams that will fight with Michigan for the Big Ten title. Well, if Notre Dame tripped them up, then maybe games at Indiana, at Illinois and Minnesota also need to be put in the “stumbling block” category.

DIZANTBOI
Where is Ohio Sate Buckeyes?

They were teetering in my 9-12 range

So, again.....why am I so nuts for not picking Ohio State or Michigan in my top 8???  Yeah, if I extended it to the top 10 or 12...they'd be there...but they aren't my top 10.  So far, my top 8 teams have ZERO losses.  Michigan, already, has one.

Sportz Picks NFL Week ONE

The NFL season is ready to begin.....so I'll begin with my PICKS OF WEEK ONE!!!!!!

REDSKINS PILLAGE BUCCANEERS. Portis. Portis. Portis. Play action. Coles. If the Skins defense played like it did against the Falcons last week…..they will win. Redskins 24-17

PATRIOTS PASTE THE COLTS. I really think that the new rules will hurt the Pats here against the Colts….but, Thursday night in from of the entire nation watching….sure seems like Tom Brady Time!! Pats 24-20

BRONCOS OVER CHIEFS. Excellent rivalry game for the Sunday night tilt. Priest Holmes against Clinton…..errr….never mind. Gonzalez against Shannon Sh……never mind. Why not!!! Broncos 26-21

PANTHERS SEND PACKERS PACKING. Monday night in Charlotte should be magical. The Panthers should be ready to prove they weren’t flukes. And Favre is a MNF veteran. But, in the end, the Panther defense gets Brett to make a few too many mistakes. Panthers 17-7.

SAINTS SHOOT DOWN SEAHAWKS. Brooks and McAllister will be ready to go….but can the Saints D-fense hang with the Hawks’ wide-outs?? I say, YES!! Saints 23-20

BILLS BATTER THE JAGS. Leftwich has an ouchie on his finger….and the Bills could be one of the NFL’s pleasant surprises this year. Henry and MaGhee runs all over the Jags. Remember, at this point last year Buffalo whipped the Patriots. Bills 30-13

RAVENS ERASE BROWNS. If you saw any Browns pre-season games….you saw Garcia running around for his life. Now, this is the regular season……against BALTIMORE!!! Gar-SEE-YA!!! Ravens 31-10

VIKINGS RIDE OVER COWBOYS. One of the best match-ups will be Moss against that Cowboys’ secondary. But, who is Dallas’ QB??? Exactly. And their running game hasn’t looked that great either. At least the Vikes have Dante. Vikings 28-17

EAGLES TACKLE GIANTS. Let’s see…..an angry Philly team. A division rival. A weak, division rival. A QB that’s suddenly mistake prone. Home game. Possible message sender. Eagles 30-3

JETS LAND ON THE BENGALS. Interesting tid-bit I heard [but didn’t research]. Every year the Bengals have made the playoffs….they’ve beaten the Jets. Well, no playoffs in 2004. Jets 27-20

TITANS TAME DOLPHINS. Well, the Dolphins offense is currently getting high and eating curry in India right now. Tennessee is looking for a running game, too. Titans 17-10

RAMS BUCK CARDINALS. No need to explain. Rams 34-13

LIONS MAUL BEARS. Detroit has more healthy weapons the Chicago does. Lions 23-14

FALCONS PAN PAST NINERS. Barely. Atlanta [read: Vick] has looked lousy in the pre-season. But, the entire Niners looked bad as well. Let’s just hope Barlow has a big game [FFL ALERT]. Falcons 20-16

STEELERS NAIL RAIDERS. Whichever QB wins, keeps his job for another week. It will be Maddox…because of Staley. Steelers 16-7

TEXANS STOP CHARGERS. The “worst game of the week”. So Don Criqui must be there. If Houston can hold LT under 400 yards…they’ll win. Texans 21-14

NBA Labor Issues

The NBA Season will have the nice added touch of……LABOR TALKS!!!! Ah, nothing better than a bunch of takes about who is punking who! Well, this labor deal may not be as gloomy as say, the MLB….or nowhere near as possibly fatal as the NHL. But there are some interesting points that need to be ironed out.

Four-year maximum contracts. Currently, players can sign for a maximum of six years, seven if they're re-signing with their original teams. The league wants to cut that to four years to reduce the risk of locking into long-term guarantees. The league may very well get their wish here…and may concede on one of the points made later. As most of you know, a big problem in the NBA is the “trading of contracts” that goes on. Trades are SO hard to pull off in the NBA now, unless you get 3 or 4 teams in on them. That affects those lower-end players that seem to get thrown in to every deal just to make it done. With the 4-year max, trades [most likely] wouldn’t be needed to be made as much….and neither would this ongoing quest by everybody to sign every big final-year contract [I.e. Walker, Abdur-Rahim, etc].

Escrow tax. NBA players give 10 percent of each paycheck to an escrow fund. The league has a formula that divides total NBA revenue, with 55 percent to players and 45 percent to league owners. If the players make more than 55 percent, the owners make up the difference by keeping the money in the escrow account. If it's less, the players get the money back -- but they have gotten a rebate only once since the agreement went into effect for the 2001-02 season. This will be a top target for elimination by the union, and the league likely will concede to get their other goals accomplished.

20-year-old age limit. Oddly, this is an issue neither side is wedded to. The league included an age limit among its demands, and Stern [publicly, at least] will contend it's a big issue. Legally, though, an age limit probably won't stand up, and Stern must know that. The union is officially opposed to a limit. But most of the players would welcome one. They're not going to be 19 again, so why should they care? The union's opposition to the rule is driven by agents. …obviously. BUT, unlike in 1998-1999, the agents aren’t running the labor talks like Mr. Faulk did then. Faulk not only held the key to the NBA’s biggest stars….but also was the agent of the guys doing the negotiating [Jordan, Ewing]. Now, the talent is spread out amongst many agents.

July moratorium. The league imposes a two-week moratorium in July, when free agents can be recruited but not signed. After the fiasco this offseason that resulted in the Cavaliers losing Carlos Boozer because the Jazz made a better offer during the moratorium, this rule will be tossed out altogether. I liked the rule…because I felt that it kept teams from bum-rushing a player and getting him locked in too hastily. For instance, a team might hurry up to get a contract together before the guy has a chance to visit another team. The moratorium helped players be able to step back and totally evaluate his choice. But, if the players want it gone….then that’s their right.

Draft reform. One of my favorite rumors is the possibility of eliminating the 2nd round of the draft. This would actually help ease out the age limit issue. Think about it. In today’s draft world, teams routinely use their 2nd round picks on foreign players who aren’t quite ready to come over to the NBA. Those guys can keep developing…and when they are ready to come over…the team has his draft rights already established [and cheap]. NBA teams also send the American players overseas to work on their games while they sit and wait. Right now, the Chicago Bulls are doing so with Dookie Chris Duhon. The elimination of this round would mean that A) teams may then choose to select these Europeans in the first round which B) means that there are less spots for those underclassmen and high school kids to get that guaranteed money which means that C) they may elect to stay in the NCAA and D) means that they are a little better developed when they do get drafted.

No More Orange.....men

If you haven’t heard, the Syracuse Orangemen are now known, simply, as the Syracuse Orange. A subtle name change….but a move into the politically correct side of things. Of course, if you are young enough…you may believe that the “Orangemen” were indeed just a big orange with legs, hat and a nice smile. In the NCAA’s ongoing movement to eliminate Native American stereotypes as mascots….this goes along with the Marquette Warriors now known as the Eagles…..the Miami Redskins now known as the Redhawks….the St. John’s Redmen as the Red Storm…and the Stanford Indians now the Stanford Cardinal.

Of course, the Florida State Seminoles and Illinois Fighting Illini remain [as well as others]. The fight to take the “Illini” out of the mascot game has been quite well documented. The Seminoles haven’t received as much flack about their name….though it is obviously there. But, there are still others out there. Southeastern Oklahoma State…a division II school….is nicknamed the “Savages”. This name is akin to the dreaded “Redskins” name that has since been all but obliterated from the collegiate landscape…but remains in the NFL [side note: my favorite NFL team is the Washington Redskins].

For the most part, in the major college sporting world….this is the last of those type of offensive nicknames. As I stated, Stanford, St. John’s, Marquette and Miami all have found new nicknames for their programs. Back in 1969, Dartmouth changed from “Indians” to “Big Green”. St. Bonaventure used to be the “Brown Indians”. Eastern Michigan changed from “Hurons” to “Eagles”. UT-Chattanooga shortened their name from Moccasins to just the “Mocs”…which keeps their old tradition and yet is also associated with the state bird….the mockingbird.

Some people want all mascots involving people gone. The East Carolina/Seton Hall Pirates, Idaho Vandals or even the Massachusetts Minutemen. Even the ‘cowboys’. One of the most interesting, yet, seemingly uncontroversial, nickname is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Not only are they “fighting” Irish…but the logo and mascot are a leprechaun. Is that not offensive??  The Boston Celtics have a leprechan as well. 

Ole Miss Rebels has been one of the biggest hotbed of controversy. Not only are they the “Rebels”….but the state flag, which features the stars-and-bars of the Confederacy, was incorporated into the logo and the very fabric of the school. The UNLV Rebels don’t see as much even though their mascot is an obvious caricature of an ol’ southern general with his musket.

One of the most interesting recent development is actually when a NCAA school CHANGED their name. The University of Hawaii’s sports programs are now know as the Warriors. And no, it isn’t the Native American context which has people riled up [well, some are]. Hawaii used to be known as the “Rainbow Warriors”…or simply the Rainbows. The school made the change in 2000, and the athletic director made this statement about the change: "That logo really put a stigma on our program at times in regards to it's part of the gay community, their flags and so forth." Since a rainbow is associated with gay pride…UH wanted nothing to do with the…uh…mix-up. This, of course, set off a ton of negative feedback. The Gay and Lesbian Community Center responded by saying "a statement like that I can understand coming from student-athletes, but to come from the athletic director, I am surprised and disappointed." And this isn’t the first time this has occurred. In the 1960s, Hawaii added the “Warriors” to the nickname after the student newspapers ridiculed the school for the Hawaii Rainbows name as it was linked to homosexuals. The residents of Hawaii are offended because the Rainbow is acknowledged as a source of strength and unity amongst the people….and they didn’t like the name change either.

In 2002, the University of Northern Colorado had an intramural team called the “Fightin’ Whites”. The team was made up by a group of Native American students who entered in the hoops league. They also adopted a 50s-style logo featuring a white man in a business suit and slicked back hair. This is from their web site: “We came up with the "Fighting Whites" logo and slogan to have a little satirical fun and to deliver a simple, sincere, message about ethnic stereotyping. Since March 6, when our campus newspaper first reported on the "Fighting Whites", we have been launched into the national spotlight, propelled by a national debate over stereotyping American Indians in sports symbolism”. Due to the national attention this team has gotten…they have been able to set up a “Fighting Whites” scholarship fund to help with the education of Native American students at Northern Colorado. That, in turn, has some people confused how a team that obviously is shedding a humorist light on using a group of people as mascots would, in turn, use it to help fund the education for a certain type of people.

Which, in turn brings us back to the use of Redskins, Braves and Indians. If the Braves logo was perceived as firemen, policemen or other “brave” vocations….then I don’t see the need for a name change. The Indians not only have the improper name…but also The Logo. Chief Wahoo. C’mon guys…why do you need that logo?? And, please stop with the whole “it is in honor of a Native American that played for the old Cleveland Spiders. It isn’t. When the name was changed, various advertisements were out supporting the behavior of giving war cries and featured an “Indian” with a large piece of wood saying “me swing heap stick”.

And, again, my favorite NFL team is the Redskins. I understand the hurtfulness of the name…but, I don’t want the name to change. Heck, make the mascot the Redskin peanuts if you have too [*chuckle*]. If there has to be a change….then do what Mr. Cooke was suggesting and change it to just the Skins and go back and feature the “R” in the circle on the helmet….sort of like the Utah Utes do on their helmets.

Or, in honor of the hogs….stick a plump pig on there.  Or with Danny Boy Snyder there....a FedEx logo.

Star-Sunk

In sports, we are seeing teams like the Marlins, Patriots and Pistons winning titles....while the Yankees, Redskins and Lakers are not.

The New York Yankees HAVE gone against everything they stood for when they won their World Series rings. The Yankees used to have guys like Brosius, Justice, Cone, Martinez, Girardi and, of course, O'Neill that weren't necessarily superstars....but were excellent role guys that did their jobs at a high level. Cone, Justice and O'Neill actually won something before they became Yankees....not 'come to the NY to win with these guys'. It doesn’t always work.

Now, the team is a collection of multi-millionaires who were the man where they used to be. Giambi, Sheffield, Brown, Rodriguez and Matsui. And for all that they threw at the lineup....their pitching staff is a little thin. The odd thing is that these guys have won other places….but Sheff and Brown won as teammates with the talent loaded Marlins…and A-Rod was the 3rd prong of the Mariners…just behind Junior and Randy Johnson.

As you know, I am a Lakers fan....and I know all to well that you cannot just add big names to a championship caliber team and expect instant titles. You need role guys to do the dirty work. Take the extra base. Sacrifice bunt...or heck, just hit the ball toward the hole. Hustle down the line. Set a pick…go after the loose ball. Be the decoy.

I am also a Redskin fan. Over the past few years…we’ve added names like Jeremiah Trotter, Jesse Armstead, Bruce Smith, Jeff George and Deion Sanders as free agents…and hired Marty Shottenheimer and Steve Spurrier as head coaches. None of that worked out. What has?? Well, the draft, actually. In that same time frame, we’ve drafted Champ Bailey, Jon Jansen, Chris Samuels, LaVarr Arrington, Fred Smoot and Patrick Ramsey. The future [and present] of the franchise. THOSE are the guys that will bring the Redskins back to the top…including Clinton Portis, who is 22 and who we traded Bailey for.

All in all, as we’ve seen with the US Olympic Hoops team….you just can throw a bunch of superstars out there….roll them a ball…and say “WIN!” You gotta have a guy willing to throw a block, take a charge or break up a double play to win a title.

Sportz MLB Awards {with most precincts in}

AL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Buck Showalter, Texas. This team sucked last year. And they had A-Rod, Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez. Yet, a year later….without those guys….not only are they not in last place but are in the playoff hunt with a bunch of no-names and never-weres. Great job, Buck!!

NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Bobby Cox, Atlanta. I hate this guy….but I respect what he’s done this year….and it also made me respect what he’s done over the past decade. Although, there is some nice talent on this team….they aren’t as dominant as they used to be. They lost Sheffield, Lopez and Maddux…and are using a 46-year old to help win games for them. Chipper Jones has had injury problems and Andruw Jones hasn’t been that great offensively. I gotta give this award to ya, Bobby.

AL CY YOUNG: Johan Santana, Minnesota. He may not win this award with Curt Schilling and Mark Mulder out there…but Santana is having a better year. He leads the AL in strikeouts…his ERA is around 3.00 and he‘s on a [most likely] division champion.. Not only that…but he’s getting better as the season rolls along.

NL CY YOUNG: Jason Schmidt, San Francisco. He should have started in the All Star Game in Houston…but everyone needed Clemons to get rocked on his home turf. Schmidt is 15-5 with an ERA under 2.80. Clemons is still a horse in this race…and Carl Pavano is having an excellent season…but as long as Schmidt keeps winning and people are interested in the Giants…he has a great shot!

AL MVP: Manny Ramirez, Boston. He up there in all of the triple crown stats…and is playing for a media darling. He should get the nod. If he slides…Gary Sheffield is right there…and they way he’s been playing of late could bring him some votes in.

NL MVP: Barry Bonds, San Francisco. I know, I’m tired of him winning these awards, too. But, who in the majors is more valuable to his team?? Bonds is sniffing the 700 home run mark after passing Willie Mays earlier this season. Add onto that his walks, on base percentage, batting average and slugging percentage. Think about it…he probably gets only 2 real pitches to hit a night….and both of those could leave the yard. Amazing. Pujols and Rolen will inevitably steal votes from each other and Beltre just doesn’t get anyone’s juices flowing.

BIGGEST AL SURPRISE: Cleveland. They have some great talent and have always had a solid farm system. Well, they all came together a little bit and are still in the wildcard hunt. Detroit has had a nice improvement from last year, too.

BIGGEST AL DISAPPOINTMENT: Seattle. It was close with Kansas City in there….but Seattle has more talent and less excuses. I mean, this team had Garcia, Boone, Olerud and Ichiro. I understand that their division is tough…but they are 23 games behind the THIRD place team. Ugh.

BIGGEST NL SURPRISE: San Diego Padres. New park, new faces….but this team is right in the thick of it with LA for the NL West title and the Giants, Marlins, Astros and Cubs for the wildcard. Their role guys have really stepped up. I’d also throw the Cincinnati Reds in the mix. Yeah, they’re under .500, but for a team that really had major holes in it and some major injuries occur….they’ve been quite formidable.

BIGGEST NL DISAPPOINTMENT: Houston. There are a lot of them. Arizona, Colorado and New York come to mind. But, I’ll stick with the Astros. They had Bagwell, Biggio, Berkman and Kent…and dealt for Beltran mid-season. They also got Roger Clemons and Andy Pettite to anchor their pitching staff. To get off this list….they BETTER make the playoffs.

BEST MOMENT OF 2004: It hasn’t happened yet….but Barry Bonds’ 700th home run. How monumental will that be?? Not only the 700 mark…but then just 15 behind Babe for the all-time left handed hitter record.